Cardiotrophin-1 ist ein Zytokin der Familie Interleukin-6-Familie, zu der auch IL-11, CNTF, OSM und LIF gehören. Diese Substanzen wirken über die gemeinsame Rezeptoruntereinheit gp130. CT-1 induziert die Hypertrophie von Kardiomyozyten und inhibiert die Apoptose kardialer und Zellen. In verschiedenen Tiermodellen der Herzinsuffizienz konnte eine gesteigerte myokardiale CT-1 Expression beobachtet werden. Kardiomyopathien sind wiederum kardiale Erkrankungen, die mit einer Hypertrophie und Apoptose einhergehen und zu einer Herzinsuffizienz führen können. Man geht davon aus, dass 25-50 Prozent der familiär sind. Hierbei handelt es sich um eine monogenetische Erkrankung, die überwiegend autosomal-dominant vererbt werden. Daneben konnten aber auch modifizierende Polymorphismen in neurohumoralen Faktoren identifiziert werden. Basierend auf diesen Ergebnissen war das Ziel dieser Arbeit die Analyse der möglichen Beteiligung genetischer Varianten der kodierenden sowie der regulatorischen Region an der Pathogenese der Hypertrophen bzw. Dilatativen Kardiomyopathie. Zusätzlich sollte die mRNA-Expression von CT-1 in Myokardbiopsien von Patienten mit Herzinsuffizienz quantifiziert werden. Hierfür musste zunächst die Sequenzen der 5´-flankierenden Region identifiziert und bezüglich ihrer regulatorischen Eigenschaften analysiert werden. Es konnten 1,1 kb der 5´-flankierenden Region sequenziert werden. Die anschließende Luciferase-Reportergen-Analyse wies regulatorische Aktivitäten für den gesamten Bereich nach. Diese Region enthält zahlreiche cis-aktive DANN-Sequenzen aber keine TATA-Box. Für die Mutationssuche wurden 64 Patienten mit DCM, 53 Patienten mit HCM sowie 100 Kontrollpersonen mittels PCR-SSCP-Analyse untersucht. Es konnte eine kodierende Variante A92T bei jeweils einem DCM- bzw. HCM-Patienten identifiziert werden. Diese Substitution liegt in einem Bereich, der zwischen verschiedenen Spezies (Ratte, Maus, Mensch) konserviert ist. Diese Mutation könnte eine Veränderung der Sekundärstruktur bewirken und liegt in einem möglichen funktionellen Bereich. Die Promotorregion wies eine Basenpaarsubstitution bei -130 (G/T) sowie eine Deletion der Basen CTTT zwischen -992 und -995 auf. Der Polymorphismus an Position -130 fand sich tendenziell häufiger bei Patienten mit Dilatativer Kardiomyopathie. Die CTTT-Deletion konnte nur bei einer Patientin mit HCM nachgewiesen werden. Für die Quantifizierung der CT-1 mRNA wurden rechtsventrikuläre Endomyokardbiopsien von 6 Patienten mit eingeschränkter LVEF (CHI), 5 Patienten nach Herztransplantation (TX) sowie 3 Kontrollpatienten (KO) eingesetzt. Es konnte ein relativer Anstieg der CT-1 Expression um 82% bei den Patienten mit eingeschränkter LVEF festgestellt werden. Interessanterweise besteht eine enge Korrelation zur Schwere der eingeschränkten Herzfunktion sowie zur Zunahme der Hypertrophie. / Cardiotrophin-1 is a cytokine, which belongs to the interleukin-6 family, which includes IL-11, CNTF, OSM and LIF. These factors act via the receptor subunit gp130. CT-1 induces the hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes and inhibits the apoptosis of cardiac cells. Studies in animal models of congestive heart failure showed an enhanced expression of CT-1 in the myocardium. Cardiomyopathies are cardiac diesorders, which are charakterized by hypertrophy and apoptosis and which can terminate with congestive heart failure. About 25-50 percent of all cases are familial. It is a monogenetic mendelian disorder with an autosomal-dominant inheritance in most cases. Beside this, modifying polymorphisms in neurohunoral factors could be identified. Based on these facts, the aim of this study was to identify genetic variants within the coding and regulatory region of the CT-1 gene, which could influence the pathogenesis of hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy. Additionally, the mRNA-expression of CT-1 in myocardial biopsies of heart failure patients should be quantified. First, it was necessary to sequence the 5´-untranslated region and to analyse its regulatory function. We could sequence 1.1 kb of the 5´-UTR. The luciferase reportergene assay showed a significant promoter activity for the whole region. The region contains various cis-active DNA sequences but no TATA-box.The TRANSFAC-analysis identified different binding sites for transcription factors but no TATA-box. The genetic material of 64 DCM and 53 HCM patients and 100 controls was screened for mutaions by using a PCR-based SSCP-analysis. A coding variant A92T could be identified for a patient with DCM and for an HCM patient. This mutation lies within a region which is conserved between different species (rat, mouse, human). This variant could disturb the secondary structure and lies in a probable functional region. Within the promoter we could identify a basepair substitution at position -130 (G/T) and a 4-basepair deletion between -992 and -995 (CTTTdel). The polymorphism at -130 showed a tendency for a higher occurrence in DCM patients. One HCM patient was heterozygous for the CTTT-deletion. To quantify the CT-1 mRNA we used endomyocardial biopsies of 6 patients with reduced LVEF (CHI), 5 patients after heart transplantation (TX) and 3 controls (KO). We performed a semiquantitative analysis by using HPLC and an external standard (PDH mRNA). We found an increased expression of CT-1 by 82% for patients with heart failure. Interestingly, we saw a tight correlation with to the reduction in LV function and to the degree of hypertrophy.

科学研究費補助金 研究種目:一般研究(B) 課題番号:17520427 研究代表者:後藤 俊夫 研究期間:1985-1986年度

<p dir="ltr">Interest in using detonation-based combustion cycles for use propulsion and power generation has gained considerable attention in the last 10 years or so. The rotating detonation engine (RDE), in particular, has garnered the most attention as a possible replacement for current generation combustion systems. RDEs are continuous flow devices that typically operate in a non-premixed fashion. Reactants are injected into an annular combustion chamber that is usually several millimeters wide. One or more detonation waves propagate azimuthally around the annulus, consuming the reactants. The products then expand out of the combustor where it can produce thrust or be passed into a turbine. The detonation wave front in RDEs travel at speeds between 1-3 km/s which poses additional complexity beyond traditional combustors. There are large gaps in the research community for RDEs that use one or more liquid based propellants. Questions regarding liquid breakup, atomization, breakup, recovery all remain unanswered both experimentally and numerically. This work seeks to understand these fundamental physical phenomena that drive these devices by applying advanced, high-speed laser and other optical diagnostics. </p><p dir="ltr"> A 120 mm nominal diameter rotating detonation combustor that operates on non-premixed hydrogen-air was modified to remove a hydrogen orifice and was replaced with a single liquid fuel injector. This simple, yet important, modification enables the study of a one-way coupling between a liquid fuel jet and a detonation wave at relevant spatio-temporal scales. Planar laser-induced fluorescence was performed at rates up to 1 MHz to quantify the quasi-steady jet dynamics and the recovery behavior of the single liquid jet. Long-duration PLIF imaging lasting 30-40 detonation periods at 300 kHz was also performed for statistical significance. A diesel liquid-in-crossflow injector was observed to breakup or be removed from the PLIF plane within only a few microseconds. After the detonation wave passes through the spray there is a significant dwell period can last between 20-40% of the detonation period before the new fuel is issued into the channel. The quasi-steady liquid jet trajectory was also compared to a jet-in-crossflow from literature and there is decent agreement in the jet near-field. </p><p dir="ltr"> The same hardware scheme with a different liquid fuel injector was tested in conjunction with an alternative imagine scheme. The first technique was able to capture details in the radial-axial plane but could not resolve any motion in the azimuthal direction. A volume-based illumination scheme was used for LIF to image a liquid fuel jet in the azimuthal-axial plane. For this experiment the location of the liquid fuel jet was moved into a different position and as a result experiences significantly different behavior than the jet in crossflow. The breakup and evaporation process takes place over a much longer period of time and there is no pause of liquid fuel injection. Similarly, LIF was performed at 300 kHz for 30 detonation cycles to enable sadistically quantification and phase averaging. Filtered OH* and CH* chemiluminescence imaging was also performed over the same field of view as the LIF imaging. Estimation of the velocity field was calculated using optical flow from the Jet-A LIF images. The velocity results agree well with the recovery analysis from the PLIF measurements.</p><p dir="ltr"> Using the same liquid fuel injection scheme, Jet-A droplet diameter and velocity was measured <i>in-situ</i> during a hot-fire experiment using phase Doppler interferometry (PDI). Although a point technique, PDI was used to measure thousands of droplets during a single test at multiple locations and with multiple conditions. As a means of comparison, cold flow experiments were performed with water in the exit plume. Droplet diameters were measured between 1-20 µs in both cases. PDI results were compared with the optical flow results and there is agreement in median velocities and some differences in the minimum and maximum velocity values. Possible sources of error in the diameter measurement are discussed as well.</p>

Este projeto nasceu inserido num contexto de crescentes pesquisas em direção à construção de um cabedal de conhecimento acerca das ciências ambientais que tratam e estudam a dinâmica dos reservatórios de carbono e suas contribuições para o Efeito Estufa. Extrapolações de novos mapas digitalizados de solos sugerem que os espodossolos hidromórficos da Amazônia podem estar com uma contagem de carbono subestimada em até 12,3 Pg de C e trabalhos anteriores mostram que o carbono imobilizado neste perfil pode sofrer mineralização devido ao corte na rede de drenagem ou rebaixamento do nível freático, podendo assim contribuir em grande parte para o aumento de emissão dos Gases do Efeito Estufa. Nesta circunstância, coube a este trabalho, caracterizar espectroscopicamente, a matéria orgânica estocada em profundidade em 9 perfis de solo da região de São Gabriel da Cachoeira - AM, na floresta amazônica. Foram analisadas 127 amostras em quantidade de carbono e por fluorescência induzida por laser (FIL). A partir destas análises preliminares, foi possível selecionar 12 amostras de 2 perfis para análise mais detalhada através da extração das substâncias húmicas. Foram realizadas análises para obtenção da textura destes perfis, análise dos ácidos húmicos como relação C/N, espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR), RMN de 13C no estado sólido, fluorescências bidimensional e tridimensional com aplicação do método estatístico análise dos fatores paralelos (PARAFAC) e também análise dos ácidos fúlvicos como carbono orgânico total (TOC), espectroscopia na região do ultra-violeta e visível e fluorescência 3D associada ao PARAFAC. Em geral, as amostras se dividiram em 3 grupos diferentes, onde a matéria orgânica em superfície se mostrou lábil e recente, a matéria orgânica nos horizontes B húmicos se mostraram com características recalcitrantes e a matéria orgânica contida nos horizontes onde existia água livre (lençol freático), se mostraram com características diferentes, indicando não serem tão jovens quanto as em superfície, porém mais jovens do que a armazenada no Bh, devido a uma possível migração por movimentos laterais do lençol freático. A correlação entre os resultados mostrou que a textura do solo é importante para o acúmulo da matéria orgânica e conseqüentemente sua humificação. Os resultados de fluorescência corroboraram a interpretação dos dados de RMN, FTIR e textura, apontando que o Perfil 4 (mais próximo ao rio) por ter C2 maior nos horizontes intermediários, contém maior quantidade de exsudatos microbianos frescos. Para o Perfil 5, que é uma mancha de Espodossolo dentro de um Latossolo e encontra-se mais longe do rio, os fluoróforos mais representativos são oriundos de anéis aromáticos mais antigos e conseqüentemente mais humificados, devido às maiores intensidades de C1 e C3. Vale ressaltar que esta interpretação se alinha com os resultados de datação do 14C desta região. Foi notório que a humificação ocorre a partir do começo do horizonte Bh e que seu acúmulo pode ocorrer tanto nos horizontes intermediários (Bh) quanto mais os profundos (úmidos). Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que uma drenagem excessiva das bordas dos rios nesta região que acumula carbono em profundidade, poderá expor a MO guardada e estocada a longo tempo, contribuindo para o aumento da temperatura global e por conseguinte catalisando um desequilíbrio no clima da sua maior reguladora no mundo: a Floresta Amazônica. / This project was born inserted in a context of increasing research towards building knowledge about environmental science that treat and study the dynamics of carbon reservoirs and their contribution to the greenhouse. Extrapolation of new digital soil maps suggests that Amazonian hydromorphic Spodosols may be with a carbon accounting underestimated by up to 12.3 Pg of C and previous work show that the carbon fixed in this profile may suffer mineralization due to the cut in the drainage network or lowering of the water level and can contribute largely to the increased emission of greenhouse gas. In this circumstance, it was instructed to this work, the spectroscopic characterization, of the stored organic matter in depth at 9 soil profiles of São Gabriel da Cachoeira - AM, in the Amazon rainforest. 127 samples were analyzed for amount of carbon and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). From these preliminary analyzes, it was possible to select 12 samples of 2 profiles for humic substances extraction and further detailed analysis. Analyzes were conducted to obtain the texture of these profiles, analysis of humic acids as C/N ratio, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), solid state 13C NMR, two and three dimensional fluorescence with applying of the Parallel factors analysis (PARAFAC) statistical method and also fulvic acid analysis as Total Organic Carbon (TOC), ultra-violet and visible region spectroscopy and 3D fluorescence associated with PARAFAC. In general, the samples were divided into 3 different groups, wherein the surface organic matter evinced labile and recent. The B humic horizons organic matter proved recalcitrant characteristics and organic matter contained in horizons which had free water (groundwater), showed different characteristic, indicating they are not so young as the surface, but younger than stored in Bh, because of possible migration by lateral movements of the water table. The correlation between the results showed that soil texture is important for the accumulation of organic matter and therefore its humification. The fluorescence results confirmed the interpretation of the NMR, FTIR and texture datas, indicating that the profile 4 (closest to the river), presenting major C2 in intermediate horizons, contains larger amount of fresh microbial exudates. To profile 5, which is a Spodosol spot within a Ferrasol and is thither from the river, the most representative fluorophores came from older aromatic rings and therefore is more humified, due to higher intensities C1 and C3. It is noteworthy that this interpretation is in accord with the results of 14C dating of samples from this region. It was clear that the humification occurs from the beginning of the Bh horizon and their accumulation can occur both in the intermediate horizons (Bh) and in deeper (wet). Thus, it can be concluded that excessive drainage of the edges of rivers in this region that collects carbon in depth, may expose the OM stored for long time, contributing to increase the overall temperature and therefore catalyzing an imbalance in the climate of the biggest regulatory of it in the world: the Amazon rainforest.

Este projeto nasceu inserido num contexto de crescentes pesquisas em direção à construção de um cabedal de conhecimento acerca das ciências ambientais que tratam e estudam a dinâmica dos reservatórios de carbono e suas contribuições para o Efeito Estufa. Extrapolações de novos mapas digitalizados de solos sugerem que os espodossolos hidromórficos da Amazônia podem estar com uma contagem de carbono subestimada em até 12,3 Pg de C e trabalhos anteriores mostram que o carbono imobilizado neste perfil pode sofrer mineralização devido ao corte na rede de drenagem ou rebaixamento do nível freático, podendo assim contribuir em grande parte para o aumento de emissão dos Gases do Efeito Estufa. Nesta circunstância, coube a este trabalho, caracterizar espectroscopicamente, a matéria orgânica estocada em profundidade em 9 perfis de solo da região de São Gabriel da Cachoeira - AM, na floresta amazônica. Foram analisadas 127 amostras em quantidade de carbono e por fluorescência induzida por laser (FIL). A partir destas análises preliminares, foi possível selecionar 12 amostras de 2 perfis para análise mais detalhada através da extração das substâncias húmicas. Foram realizadas análises para obtenção da textura destes perfis, análise dos ácidos húmicos como relação C/N, espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR), RMN de 13C no estado sólido, fluorescências bidimensional e tridimensional com aplicação do método estatístico análise dos fatores paralelos (PARAFAC) e também análise dos ácidos fúlvicos como carbono orgânico total (TOC), espectroscopia na região do ultra-violeta e visível e fluorescência 3D associada ao PARAFAC. Em geral, as amostras se dividiram em 3 grupos diferentes, onde a matéria orgânica em superfície se mostrou lábil e recente, a matéria orgânica nos horizontes B húmicos se mostraram com características recalcitrantes e a matéria orgânica contida nos horizontes onde existia água livre (lençol freático), se mostraram com características diferentes, indicando não serem tão jovens quanto as em superfície, porém mais jovens do que a armazenada no Bh, devido a uma possível migração por movimentos laterais do lençol freático. A correlação entre os resultados mostrou que a textura do solo é importante para o acúmulo da matéria orgânica e conseqüentemente sua humificação. Os resultados de fluorescência corroboraram a interpretação dos dados de RMN, FTIR e textura, apontando que o Perfil 4 (mais próximo ao rio) por ter C2 maior nos horizontes intermediários, contém maior quantidade de exsudatos microbianos frescos. Para o Perfil 5, que é uma mancha de Espodossolo dentro de um Latossolo e encontra-se mais longe do rio, os fluoróforos mais representativos são oriundos de anéis aromáticos mais antigos e conseqüentemente mais humificados, devido às maiores intensidades de C1 e C3. Vale ressaltar que esta interpretação se alinha com os resultados de datação do 14C desta região. Foi notório que a humificação ocorre a partir do começo do horizonte Bh e que seu acúmulo pode ocorrer tanto nos horizontes intermediários (Bh) quanto mais os profundos (úmidos). Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que uma drenagem excessiva das bordas dos rios nesta região que acumula carbono em profundidade, poderá expor a MO guardada e estocada a longo tempo, contribuindo para o aumento da temperatura global e por conseguinte catalisando um desequilíbrio no clima da sua maior reguladora no mundo: a Floresta Amazônica. / This project was born inserted in a context of increasing research towards building knowledge about environmental science that treat and study the dynamics of carbon reservoirs and their contribution to the greenhouse. Extrapolation of new digital soil maps suggests that Amazonian hydromorphic Spodosols may be with a carbon accounting underestimated by up to 12.3 Pg of C and previous work show that the carbon fixed in this profile may suffer mineralization due to the cut in the drainage network or lowering of the water level and can contribute largely to the increased emission of greenhouse gas. In this circumstance, it was instructed to this work, the spectroscopic characterization, of the stored organic matter in depth at 9 soil profiles of São Gabriel da Cachoeira - AM, in the Amazon rainforest. 127 samples were analyzed for amount of carbon and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). From these preliminary analyzes, it was possible to select 12 samples of 2 profiles for humic substances extraction and further detailed analysis. Analyzes were conducted to obtain the texture of these profiles, analysis of humic acids as C/N ratio, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), solid state 13C NMR, two and three dimensional fluorescence with applying of the Parallel factors analysis (PARAFAC) statistical method and also fulvic acid analysis as Total Organic Carbon (TOC), ultra-violet and visible region spectroscopy and 3D fluorescence associated with PARAFAC. In general, the samples were divided into 3 different groups, wherein the surface organic matter evinced labile and recent. The B humic horizons organic matter proved recalcitrant characteristics and organic matter contained in horizons which had free water (groundwater), showed different characteristic, indicating they are not so young as the surface, but younger than stored in Bh, because of possible migration by lateral movements of the water table. The correlation between the results showed that soil texture is important for the accumulation of organic matter and therefore its humification. The fluorescence results confirmed the interpretation of the NMR, FTIR and texture datas, indicating that the profile 4 (closest to the river), presenting major C2 in intermediate horizons, contains larger amount of fresh microbial exudates. To profile 5, which is a Spodosol spot within a Ferrasol and is thither from the river, the most representative fluorophores came from older aromatic rings and therefore is more humified, due to higher intensities C1 and C3. It is noteworthy that this interpretation is in accord with the results of 14C dating of samples from this region. It was clear that the humification occurs from the beginning of the Bh horizon and their accumulation can occur both in the intermediate horizons (Bh) and in deeper (wet). Thus, it can be concluded that excessive drainage of the edges of rivers in this region that collects carbon in depth, may expose the OM stored for long time, contributing to increase the overall temperature and therefore catalyzing an imbalance in the climate of the biggest regulatory of it in the world: the Amazon rainforest.

La cartographie peptidique est une méthode qui permet entre autre d’identifier les modifications post-traductionnelles des protéines. Elle comprend trois étapes : 1) la protéolyse enzymatique, 2) la séparation par électrophorèse capillaire (CE) ou chromatographie en phase liquide à haute performance (HPLC) des fragments peptidiques et 3) l’identification de ces derniers. Cette dernière étape peut se faire par des méthodes photométriques ou par spectrométrie de masse (MS). Au cours de la dernière décennie, les enzymes protéolytiques immobilisées ont acquis une grande popularité parce qu’elles peuvent être réutilisées et permettent une digestion rapide des protéines due à un rapport élevé d’enzyme/substrat. Pour étudier les nouvelles techniques d’immobilisation qui ont été développées dans le laboratoire du Professeur Waldron, la cartographie peptidique par CE est souvent utilisée pour déterminer le nombre total de peptides détectés et leurs abondances. La CE nous permet d’avoir des séparations très efficaces et lorsque couplée à la fluorescence induite par laser (LIF), elle donne des limites de détection qui sont 1000 fois plus basses que celles obtenues avec l’absorbance UV-Vis. Dans la méthode typique, les peptides venant de l’étape 1) sont marqués avec un fluorophore avant l’analyse par CE-LIF. Bien que la sensibilité de détection LIF puisse approcher 10-12 M pour un fluorophore, la réaction de marquage nécessite un analyte dont la concentration est d’au moins 10-7 M, ce qui représente son principal désavantage. Donc, il n’est pas facile d’étudier les enzymes des peptides dérivés après la protéolyse en utilisant la technique CE-LIF si la concentration du substrat protéique initial est inférieure à 10-7 M. Ceci est attribué à la dilution supplémentaire lors de la protéolyse. Alors, afin d’utiliser le CE-LIF pour évaluer l’efficacité de la digestion par enzyme immobilisée à faible concentration de substrat,nous proposons d’utiliser des substrats protéiques marqués de fluorophores pouvant être purifiés et dilués. Trois méthodes de marquage fluorescent de protéine sont décrites dans ce mémoire pour étudier les enzymes solubles et immobilisées. Les fluorophores étudiés pour le marquage de protéine standard incluent le naphtalène-2,3-dicarboxaldéhyde (NDA), la fluorescéine-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) et l’ester de 6-carboxyfluorescéine N-succinimidyl (FAMSE). Le FAMSE est un excellent réactif puisqu’il se conjugue rapidement avec les amines primaires des peptides. Aussi, le substrat marqué est stable dans le temps. Les protéines étudiées étaient l’-lactalbumine (LACT), l’anhydrase carbonique (CA) et l’insuline chaîne B (INB). Les protéines sont digérées à l’aide de la trypsine (T), la chymotrypsine (CT) ou la pepsine (PEP) dans leurs formes solubles ou insolubles. La forme soluble est plus active que celle immobilisée. Cela nous a permis de vérifier que les protéines marquées sont encore reconnues par chaque enzyme. Nous avons comparé les digestions des protéines par différentes enzymes telles la chymotrypsine libre (i.e., soluble), la chymotrypsine immobilisée (i.e., insoluble) par réticulation avec le glutaraldéhyde (GACT) et la chymotrypsine immobilisée sur billes d’agarose en gel (GELCT). Cette dernière était disponible sur le marché. Selon la chymotrypsine utilisée, nos études ont démontré que les cartes peptidiques avaient des différences significatives selon le nombre de pics et leurs intensités correspondantes. De plus, ces études nous ont permis de constater que les digestions effectuées avec l’enzyme immobilisée avaient une bonne reproductibilité. Plusieurs paramètres quantitatifs ont été étudiés afin d’évaluer l’efficacité des méthodes développées. La limite de détection par CE-LIF obtenue était de 3,010-10 M (S/N = 2,7) pour la CA-FAM digérée par GACT et de 2,010-10 M (S/N = 4,3) pour la CA-FAM digérée par la chymotrypsine libre. Nos études ont aussi démontrées que la courbe d’étalonnage était linéaire dans la région de travail (1,0×10-9-1,0×10-6 M) avec un coefficient de corrélation (R2) de 0,9991. / Peptide mapping is a routine method for identifying post-translational modifications of proteins. It involves three steps: 1) enzymatic proteolysis, 2) separation of the peptide fragments by capillary electrophoresis (CE) or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), 3) identification of the peptide fragments by photometric methods or mass spectrometry (MS). During the past decade, immobilized enzymes for proteolysis have been gaining in popularity because they can be reused and they provide fast protein digestion due to the high ratio of enzyme-to-substrate. In order to study new immobilization techniques developed in the Waldron laboratory, peptide mapping by CE is frequently used, where the total number of peptides detected and their abundance are related to enzymatic activity. CE allows very high resolution separations and, when coupled to laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), provides excellent detection limits that are 1000 times lower than with UV-Vis absorbance. In the typical method, the peptides produced in step 1) above are derivatized with a fluorophore before separation by CE-LIF. Although the detection sensitivity of LIF can approach 10 12 M for a highly efficient fluorophore, a major disadvantage is that the derivatization reaction requires analyte concentrations to be approx. 10 7 M or higher. Therefore, it is not feasible to study enzymes using CE-LIF of the peptides derivatized after proteolysis if the initial protein substrate concentration is <10-7 M because additional dilution occurs during proteolysis. Instead, to take advantage of CE-LIF to evaluate the efficiency of immobilized enzyme digestion of low concentrations of substrate, we propose using fluorescently derivatized protein substrates that can be purified then diluted. Three methods for conjugating fluorophore to protein were investigated in this work as a means to study both soluble and immobilized enzymes. The fluorophores studied for derivatization of protein standards included naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA), fluoresceine-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) and 6-carboxyfluorescein N-succinimide ester (FAMSE). The FAMSE was found to be an excellent reagent that conjugates quickly with primary amines and the derivatized substrate was stable over time. The studied substrates were -lactalbumin (LACT), carbonic anhydrase (CA) and insulin chain-B (INB). The CE-LIF peptide maps were generated from digestion of the fluorescently derivatized substrates by trypsin (T), chymotrypsin (CT) or pepsin (PEP), either in soluble or insoluble forms. The soluble form of an enzyme is more active than the immobilized form and this allowed us to verify that the conjugated proteins were still recognized as substrates by each enzyme. The digestion of the derivatized substrates with different types of chymotrypsin (CT) was compared: free (i.e., soluble) chymotrypsin, chymotrypsin cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GACT) and chymotrypsin immobilized on agarose gel particles (GELCT), which was available commercially. The study showed that, according to the chymotrypsin used, the peptide map would vary in the number of peaks and their intensities. It also showed that the digestion by immobilized enzymes was quite reproducible. Several quantitative parameters were studied to evaluate the efficacy of the methods. The detection limit of the overall method (CE-LIF peptide mapping of FAM-derivatized protein digested by chymotrypsin) was 3.010-10 M (S/N = 2.7) carbonic anhydrase using insoluble GACT and 2.010-10 M (S/N = 4.3) CA using free chymotrypsin. Our studies also showed that the standard curve was linear in the working region (1.0×10-9-1.0×10-6 M) with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9991.

No description available.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is produced by astrocytes which have been implicated in regulating stress responses. We found that CNTF in the medial amygdala (MeA) promotes despair or passive coping, i.e., immobility in an acute forced swim stress, in female mice, while having no effect in males. Neutralizing CNTF antibody injected into the MeA of wildtype females reduced activation of downstream STAT3 (Y705) 24 and 48 h later. In concert, the antibody reduced immobility in the swim test in females and only after MeA injection, but not when injected in the central or basolateral amygdala. Antibody injected into the male MeA did not affect immobility. These data reveal a unique role of CNTF in female MeA in promoting despair or passive coping behavior. Moreover, 4 weeks of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) increased immobility in the swim test and reduced sucrose preference in wildtype CNTF+/+, but not CNTF-/- littermate, females. Following CUS, 10 min of restraint stress increased plasma corticosterone levels only in CNTF+/+ females. In males, the CUS effects were present in both genotypes. Further, CUS increased CNTF expression in the MeA of female, but not male, mice. CUS did not alter CNTF in the female hippocampus, hypothalamus and bed nucleus of stria terminalis. This suggests that MeA CNTF has a female-specific role in promoting CUS-induced despair or passive coping, behavioral anhedonia and neuroendocrine responses. Compared to CNTF+/+ mice, CNTF-/- mice did not show differences in CUS-induced anxiety-like behavior and sensorimotor gating function as measured by elevated T-Maze, open field and pre-pulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response. Together, this study reveals a novel CNTF-mediated female-specific mechanism in stress responses and points to opportunities for developing treatments for stress-related disorders in women.

Ce document synthétise mes actions de recherches dans la métrologie optique pour l'hypersonique à haute enthalpie rencontré lors d'une rentrée atmosphérique. Je présente en début de ce document la problématique de la rentrée atmosphérique dont la maîtrise est primordiale pour le retour sur Terre d'un vol habité ou d'une sonde de retour d'échantillons. Je décris ensuite les moyens de mesures servant à caractériser le gaz en écoulement autour d'un véhicule de rentrée en test dans une soufflerie ou en vol de démonstration. En particulier les moyens d'optique linéaire que sont la fluorescence induite par faisceau d'électrons (FFE) ou par laser, la spectroscopie d'absorption ou d'émission et le LIDAR à diffusion Rayleigh.